Allen Honeycutt, 59, was convicted of trafficking, possession, and cultivation of marijuana, possession of criminal tools, engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity and was sentenced the following day to eight years in prison.

Honeycutt was indicted in February 2012 for his involvement in the operation.

The appeals court tossed out the conviction against Honeycutt Monday, saying the case shouldn't have been tried in Warren County.

Police said they found three indoor growing operations that produced high-grade marijuana sold by the participants throughout southwest Ohio.

Officers also said they seized 600 marijuana plants, more than $100,000 cash and several grams of harvested marijuana. The drugs were estimated to be worth $2.9 million.

The appeals court said the prosecution didn't connect the warehouse Honeycutt leased in Hamilton County, where 380 pot plants were found, to the drugs being sold to students from Kings and Mason high schools.

A 17-year-old boy pleaded guilty in July to distributing pot to classmates at Mason High School and was sentenced to six months in a juvenile detention center.